HELSINGTON.

1542
17 January. I William Shepherd of Helsington in the parish
of Kirkby in Kendall, chapman, . . . . . . will and declare that
Edward Dockerey, William Dodding and other their cofeoffees and
their heirs and assigns, continue, and stand in all such lands, tenements
and services which they be now lawfully possessed and seised of, by
force of my deed of gift for the use and intent of the maintenance of the
Divine Service of God in the Choir of St. Anthony, within the parish
church of Kendal, founded and made by me and one William Harrison,
to pray daily for our souls, our wife and our children's souls, our
friends and all christian souls that God's pleasure is to be prayed for,
for ever. . . . . .Item I will that the priest that shall supply the
said services shall be a man of honest conversation and a choir man
to the intent he may at all times set forward the service of God in the
said church and that he absent not himself above the space of twenty
days without license and a reasonable cause and in that time to find
one other in his absence to execute his office in every behalf. Item
I will that the incumbent of the same . . . . . shall diligently see to
and keep without waste the ornaments of the same choir. Item I
will that my said feoffees their heirs and assigns, have order oversight
and governance of all other things in any wise belonging to the said
services and they to do therein as they shall think best for the maintenance of the same services; and if any surplus above the yearly
stipend of 5 marks be, it to remain and go to my said feoffees for their
pains to be taken in that behalf. Item it is my will and mind that if
the said services in the said choir at any time hereafter shall not be
suffered to continue and perpetually to endure, by any statute, act,
decree or injunction or otherwise, whatsoever it be, by the laws of this
realm of England, then the one half of all the said lands, tenements,
rents, etc., descend remain and come to the right heirs of me the said
William Shepherd for ever . . . . . . that the other half remain to the
heirs of the said William Harrison for ever . . . . . . I give and
bequeath to Sir Adam Shepherd, priest, and my brother's son, a little
silver pot with a cover. Item I give and bequeath to my parish church
for the reparation of the same 13s. 4d. so that I may have the two best
crosses and the canopy free at the day of my burial. Per me Adamum
Shepherd, rectorem. Surtees Society, vol. 26, p. 31.

1712
17 May. Order that the lands called Lakerigg, parcel of the
demesne of Sizergh, shall henceforth pay taxes and perform offices
within Helsington and not within Natland. K. Order Book, 1696–
1724.

1713
17 April. Upon the petition of Walter Strickland, esqr., shewing
that there being a way on the east side of the wall in Brigsteer park
which is very prejudicial to the deer therein and that a way on the
west side of the said wall will be more convenient for passengers, and
the said Mr. Strickland being desirous to make the said wall substantial for the preservation of his deer in the said park; the Court
consents and so orders the diversion. Ibid.

1726
Helsington chapel built by subscription and endowed by John
Jackson of Holeslack. Consecrated by Bp. Peplowe in 1745.
Local Chron., XXIV.

1733
18 January. Ordered that the road from Kirkland to Sizergh Fell
be repaired and widened according to Statute. Rough Minute Book,
1733–37.

1738
14 April. At this Sessions was filed a mandate from George II to
the Sheriff of Westmorland to diligently enquire by jury whether
or not it be to any damage, if we grant to Thos. Strickland, esq.,
licence that he may enclose a common highway in Sizergh Lane
beginning at the south end of a certain close called Long Leighs
containing in length 357 yards and in breadth 6 yards, to hold and
enjoy this way so enclosed to him Tho. Strickland, and his heirs for
ever, so as instead of this way Tho. Strickland do in his own land set
out and make another highway as convenient and commodious etc.
And that you return this Inquisition without delay into our Chancery
etc. Witness ourself at Westminster the 12 January, 11 Geo. 11.
This inquisition was taken at Sizergh 6 February, 1737/8, before
Sackville, Earl of Thanet, sheriff of the county, and the jurors say
that it is not to the damage of the King or any other if such licence
be granted to Tho. Strickland, esq., and that the way to be enclosed
contains in length 352 yards and in breadth 4½ yards. K. Indictment Book, 1725–37.

1749
6 October. Petition of Christopher Garnet, surveyor of the
highways of the township of Helsington, in behalf of the inhabitants
of the said township setting forth that the highway from Sizergh
Fell-gate to Stone Cross barn, otherwise Dodding Barn, is not of
sufficient breadth and praying the assistance of this Court to enlarge
the same; ordered that the Clerk of the Peace do issue a Venire (fn. 1)
for a jury to appear at the next General Quarter Sessions to assess the
damages to be occasioned to the owners of lands and others interested
in ground adjoining to the said highway, and likewise a precept to
summon the said owners and others interested to show cause why the
said highway should not be enlarged. K Order Book, 1738–50.

1751
3 August. Upon the application of Tho. Cowperthwaite, one of the
Surveyors of highways in Helsington, that the highways belonging
to the said township are so far out of repair that they cannot be
repaired as they ought to be by the common 6 days teams and labour;
it is ordered that an assessment of 6d. in the pound be made upon all
the inhabitants, owners and occupiers of lands of the said township
etc. K. Order Book, 1750–60.

1752
14 July. Upon the petition of the jurors impanelled to assess the
damages of several persons whose lands were to be taken into the
highroad within the township of Helsington, seeing that they had
several meetings and great trouble and having given into the court
their verdict; it is ordered that the surveyors of the highways
do pay unto each of the said jurors the sum of 5s. for the trouble and
expense that they have been at therein. K. Order Book, 1750–60.

1762
4 October. Presentment that there is a certain common and ancient
highway leading from the market town of Hawkshead and Broughton
to the market town of K. Lonsdale, and that a certain part of the
same King's highway beginning at the Turnpike Road leading
down Sizergh Lane and ending at Force Bridge, containing in length
500 yards and in breadth 8 feet, was and yet is very ruinous etc., and
that the inhabitants of the township of Helsington ought to repair
and amend the same. (K. Indictment Book, 1760–70). Certified
in good and sufficient repair on 15 April, 1765. Ibid.

1773
4 October. Presentment that there was and yet is a common and
ancient highway leading from the township of Crook to the town
of Milthrop and that a certain part thereof beginning at the south
end of the new road in the township of Helsington and ending at the
Mill beck otherwise Brigsteer Beck containing in length 500 yards
and in breadth 5 yards is very ruinous etc., and that the township of
Helsington ought to repair it, etc. (K. Indictment Book, 1770–80).
Certified in good and sufficient repair on 10 January, 1774. Ibid.

1788
6 August. A subscription is entered into for opening a colliery
at the Hawes, south of Kendal. The promoters have already begun
to bore and meet with a very promising appearance of coal. If the
attempt prove successful it will be a very great advantage to the
town of Kendal and to a very large neighbourhood, where the present
expense of firing is said to be equal to the rents of the houses. The
field in which the trial is being made belongs to Staveley Chapel, but
the manor is the property of Lady Suffolk. Extract from the
Cumberland Pacquet of this date.

1823
14 July. Conviction of Stephen Wilson of Milnthorpe, carter, for
in the township of Helsington being then and there the driver of a
waggon drawn by four horses he did ride upon such carriage in the
turnpike road not having some other person on foot or horseback to
guide the same. K. Indict. Book, 1817–24.

1832
6 January. William Hutton, Perpetual Curate of Helsington,
took the oaths of allegiance, supremacy and abjuration, made the
Declaration required by the Statute 9 Geo. IV and subscribed the same.
(K. Indict. Book, 1824–34.) This declaration was not to injure
or weaken the Protestant Church as it is by law established in
England, but taken in lieu of the Test of receiving the Sacrament of
the Lord's Supper according to the rites and usage of the Church
of England.

1857
9 April. Application by Walter Charles Strickland of Sizergh
Castle for licence to erect mills for the making of Gunpowder and
magazines for the safe keeping of the powder in certain closes called
respectively Kid Holme and Low Park, which said closes adjoin the
river Kent on the west side, and no part of which mills, magazines
or offices is to be less distant then 800 yards from Sedgwick House,
the present residence of John Wakefield, esq., or more than 200 yards
from the bank of the river Kent. K. Order Book, 1839–76.

Footnotes

1.
Venire facias, a judicial writ issued to the sheriff to summon a jury to try a cause.